There’s a very short list of Hollywood producers who are names unto themselves. On that list is Lorenzo di Bonaventura, of both the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises. He’s also the producer of Salt, Red, Side Effects, Jack Ryan, Beverly Hills Cop 4 and more. The guy is a proven hit-maker with a great handle on the pulse of mainstream audiences.

His latest film, Transformers: Age of Extinction, is more of the same. Despite being savaged by critics, audiences are once again turning out for the franchise. On the occasion of that release, we had the pleasure of speaking with di Bonaventura about a few things. We talked about producing for Michael Bay, and the choice of using Dinobots not only in the film, but in the marketing as well. I asked about the length of the film, the inevitability of Bay leaving the franchise, and what the ending of this film means for Transformers 5, currently slotted for 2016. Finally, I just had to ask about my favorite Transformer, Hot Rod. Read all his answers below in our full interview with Transformers: Age of Extinction producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura Read More »

Please Recommend /Film on Facebook

No one does action quite like Michael Bay. Love his movies or hate them, there’s no denying the director has an incredible eye for action and his latest movie, Transformers: Age of Extinction, is the biggest one yet. The effects, the locations, the stunts, all of it suggests a budget and freedom few filmmakers would ever enjoy. Which, actually, isn’t true. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told us despite the continued success of the Transformers franchise, they aren’t given a blank check. In particular, Bay’s action scenes have to be very carefully constricted to make sure everything stays on budget.

Below, read di Bonaventura talk about how the Michael Bay action scenes in Transformers: Age of Extinction are accounted for in the budget, which is a little more backwards than you’d imagine. Read More »

Hasbro owns G.I. Joe and Transformers. Paramount distributes both the G.I. Joe and Transformers films. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura produces both film franchises. All of which means the potential for a crossover is one hundred-percent there. It almost seems too easy, especially in the modern Hollywood where crossovers like The Avengers, Batman v Superman and X-Men: Days of Future Past have become the norm. Unfortunately though, with the fourth Transformers, Transformers: Age of Extinction, hitting theaters this week, di Bonaventura has stated on the record that a G.I. Joe/Transformers movie crossover isn’t likely to happen. Read More »

Way back last spring, Transformers 4 found its very first actor through a charity auction for a walk-on role. Then, several months later, Michael Bayallegedly cast Mark Wahlberg in the lead after a rumor got positive feedback on the Internet. Which is to say that Transformers 4 has been turning to some unusual methods to fill its ranks.

But neither of those ideas compare to the latest approach. Paramount has announced plans to cast four Chinese actors through a nationally televised reality show to be judged by producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura and former AMPAS president Sid Ganis. Hit the jump to keep reading.

Between reshoots and the 3D post-conversion, it took Paramount an extra nine months to get G.I. Joe: Retaliation into theaters. But now that the film’s there, the studio is wasting no time with the next installment. Paramount has reportedly decided to move ahead with a third G.I. Joe film after the strong box office performance by Retaliation this weekend.

Ah, yes, the Fast and the Furious franchise: Where a man can fly from one fancy speeding car to another in the middle of the highway while a tank wreaks havoc in the background. See that photo and more after the jump. Also:

These “bits” pieces always tend to be a mixed bag, but this particular bag seems particularly varied — and stuffed. Whether you’re into showtunes, comic books, social networking, or the law, we’ve got a little something for everyone in this edition of TV Bits. After the jump: